IR to focus cleanliness

Railways Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda has announced a substantial increase in budget allocation for cleanliness in the current year, which is a 40 percent increase over the previous year. The Indian Railways proposes to outsource cleaning activities at 50 major stations to professional agencies and to set up a separate housekeeping wing to have focused attention and exclusive responsibility of maintaining cleanliness and sanitation at stations. A Corpus Fund for upkeep of stations will also be set up.

According to the Minister, use of CCTVs at stations will be extended to monitor cleanliness activities. All-India level complaint/helpline number will be printed on the back of all PRS tickets. System of periodic third-party inspections will be introduced. Further, Bio-toilets will be increased in sufficient numbers in trains in order to mitigate the problem of direct discharge of human waste on the tracks and platform aprons at stations.

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